~ A Chronicle of My Fresh Start

Rant: Twenty Minutes Means Twenty Minutes

More than two hours ago, I called my foreign counterpart to finalize ONE phrase in a contract. I had my client on the line and we were ready to go. My foreign counterpart was not ready. He needed 20 minutes.

Cool.

We can wait 20 minutes.. I call back, negotiate through his phone directory which is in two languages I do not speak, finally reach his receptionist and learn he’s in a meeting and wants me to call back in 30 minutes.

Less cool.

I call back. He’s in a meeting, but can I call back in 30 minutes?

Not particularly cool.

I call back. She recognizes my voice. He’s still in a meeting, but just wrapping up. May she take my number (a number on which he calls me nearly every day) and have him call me?

Not cool at all.

That was 30 minutes ago. His office will be closing shortly and I am incapable of negotiating his damn directory.